


Getting Better

by idra



Series: Just Standin' There [5]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, all the sap, more mentions of what parrish did to stiles, otherwise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 01:46:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2369882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idra/pseuds/idra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles' life is maybe finally getting better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting Better

**Author's Note:**

> This is the finale of this series. Thanks to every who's read the previous parts and sent kudos and comments. it's very much appreciated. enjoy.

Stiles licks his lips as he tugs on his old suit. It barely fits him anymore, but he turns to Kira. "How do I look?"

"Like you outgrew that suit five years ago?" She smiles a little. "C'mon. Let Lydia, Allison and I take you out and get you a new suit. You need to look good when you get that asshole deputy locked up."

Stiles licks his lips. "Okay, yeah. But the trial starts tomorrow. I need the suit today so I can get it pressed and stuff."

Kira pulls out her phone, dialing her friends. She sets up a time for the four of them to go shopping and she smiles slightly at Stiles. "We'll go have lunch first, then Lydia says she's buying you a new wardrobe."

"I don't need a new wardrobe. I only need a new suit."

"Argue it out with Lydia." Kira grins and wraps an arm around Stiles' waist. "C'mon. We'll go get burgers and curly fries."

Stiles makes a face, but lets Kira pull him from the apartment. He settles in the passenger seat and glances over at her. "Thank you for this."

"It's no problem, Stiles. You will just owe me a dozen mocha cupcakes." She grins.

Stiles snorts, but nods. "I can do that." He licks his lips and looks out the window, watching the familiar scenery fly by. "Derek thinks I should open a bakery."

Kira makes a humming noise, which Stiles takes as a cue to keep going. "He said my cupcakes were amazing and he thinks I could really make a go of it. I just... I don't know anything about running a business. I can bake the hell out of a bunch of cupcakes, but how am I supposed to run a business?"

"So you're giving serious thought to it?"

"I dunno." Stiles shrugs, glancing over at her. "Do you think there'd be enough business for it to be worth it?"

"I think people would come in to support you after all you've been through at first." She chews on her bottom lip, carefully choosing her next words. "I think that after all the hype dies down about the trial, you'd have a few customers who were still just coming in to see the boy whose father said he cried wolf."

"So you don't think I can do it," Stiles says softly, nodding. It's as much as he'd thought. He'd sell cupcakes the first little while because of the notoriety of the trial and Parrish being thrown in jail by his father after his father didn't believe him. Then he'd be shit out of luck. "Thanks for being honest, Kira."

"Stiles, I think your cupcakes are amazing. I just don't know if there's enough of a market for a cupcake bakery in Beacon Hills, ya know?"

"I get it." He takes a couple of deep breaths, trying not keep his heart from hammering out of his chest. "I wouldn't make a profit, so there's no use thinking about it anymore. Oh look, we're at the diner. Allison and Lydia meeting us here?" he asks, quickly changing the subject.

"Yeah. They wanted to have lunch with us. You never hang out with us anymore. Any of us really."

Stiles shrugs, knowing that he's been avoiding his friends because of all the publicity that's been cropping up due to the trial. "I just don't want you affected by the crap that's following me around." He hops out of the car as soon as Kira has it in park and he heads for the restaurant, barely remembering his manners and holding the door for the three women. They are the most important women in his life, not including Melissa McCall.

After lunch, Lydia drags him to the most expensive boutique in Beacon Hills. It's the only store besides the thrift shop that sells men's and women's clothes in the same place. She walks in like she owns the place and Stiles takes one look at a price tag and tries to walk out. Unfortunately for him, none of the women will allow that. "You're all evil."

"You like evil women, Stiles. It's why you love us," Lydia says, waving off his protests. She starts gathering clothes, shoving him into a changing room with them. "Try these on. And after you've got them on, you come out and show us. This is not about whether it fits, it's about what looks good."

Stiles rolls his eyes and shuts the door in her face, stripping off his usual oversized flannel shirt and three other layers as well as his khakis. He tugs on a pair of jeans, frowning at the price tag. "You know I can't actually afford any of this."

"That is why I told you I will be buying you a new wardrobe, dummy," Lydia says with a sigh. "Besides, I heard about Deputy Hale's suggestion. I think you should. We'll need to find someone to manage it, but I'd be happy to be your business partner. You can bake, I can oversee things. I might as well put the MBA I got to use. We'll find someone to do the day to day running of the place--- and to deal with customers, since neither of us will be doing that. But I think it's a solid plan. We don't even have to tell people you have a stake in it. Not until after all the hype dies down. Then we can come forward as the owners." There's a pause. "I know you think you're not good enough, that you don't deserve this-- just like you broke it off with Derek because you supposedly don't deserve to be loved or some asinine bullshit, but, Stiles, you are loved. You are good enough-- you're too good for the likes of Derek Hale. But a business where you're in charge-- where you get to do what you love?"

"It's not that I think I'm not good enough for Derek, I just..." Stiles licks his lips. "Dad told me to break it off or there would be consequences."

"He can't fire Derek for dating you."

"No, but he can make Derek's life miserable." Stiles steps out of the changing room, glancing down at the shell pink button down. "How do I look?"

Lydia looks at him appraisingly. "Damn, Stiles. When did you get grown up?"

Stiles laughs a little and shrugs. "Alli? Kira?"

The other women are just staring at him in shock, their hands full of other stuff for him to try on. "Wow. Stiles, you.... Wow. If I wasn't engaged to Isaac, I'd jump you right now."

Stiles blushes and ducks his head. "Kira?"

"Scott's damn lucky he's got my heart." She grins at the other girls.

"Okay. Knock it off." Stiles rolls his eyes and steps back into the changing room, switching out the shirt and jeans for another outfit. It's a few hours later when he and Kira are pulling up to the apartment building. He grabs all of his bags and hers, smiling when she holds open the door. "So, what kind of cupcakes should I make for tonight?"

"You're really asking me that?" She looks at him and rolls her eyes. "Mocha, of course."

Stiles laughs. "I don't think I have the espresso powder."

"Then I will go get it for you. You're making me my mocha cupcakes."

"Yes ma'am." He waits until she opens the door of the apartment and he sets her bags on the couch, knowing she'll want to show off the lingerie she'd bought to surprise Scott with. He carries his stuff into his bedroom and hangs up the three suits Lydia bought him. He shakes his head, laying out the dark blue slim fit virgin wool suit that had cost more than his Jeep was worth. It's a good looking suit, but it's something Stiles never would've picked out for himself. He had wanted to go to JC Penney's and pick up a suit, but the look on Lydia's face had stopped him from heading in that direction. 

He lays out the shell pink button down all the girls had been ecstatic about along with the gray silk striped tie Lydia had told him to wear with this particular suit. He sighs as he looks at the outfit. The whole thing costs more than he makes in three months and Lydia had dropped the money like it was nothing.

When he's done laying out his suit, he heads into the kitchen. He stops short when he sees Derek standing in the room with Kira and Scott. He's just about to turn and walk away when Scott yelps and jumps on his back. "I hear the girls bought you a new wardrobe. Gonna look snazzy for opening your bakery, huh?"

"I... uh... I haven't decided whether or not to take Lydia up on her offer to help. Not to mention I can't afford it." Stiles keeps his back to Derek, not wanting to see the other man. He knows he doesn't have the right to be heartbroken by Derek not being his anymore. "Look, I need to go to the store. I need to pick up some ingredients to make Kira's cupcakes. And I think I'm going to make the margarita cupcakes for Allison and the double chocolate for Lydia. I need a lot of ingredients so I'll be back later." In a softer voice, he adds, "Please, have Derek gone by the time I get back. I can't, Scott. I just.... I can't." He walks away, ignoring Scott's and Kira's pleas for him to come back.

\-----

Derek smiles as Scott lets them up into his apartment. "I can't thank you enough for this, Scott. I know Stiles doesn't want to see me, but I really want to get a chance to get him to explain to me why he broke up with me."

"He might not want to see you. I mean... I know he likes you so I don't really know why he's being this way, but if he doesn't want to see you..."

"Yeah, that's fine. I won't force him, but... I want to talk to him."

Scott nods, leading Derek into the kitchen. "Hey, Kira." He steps up to his girlfriend, kissing her softly. "You remember Derek."

Kira's eyes go wide. "Hi Derek. I'm not sure Stiles will want to see you."

Just then, Stiles walks into the kitchen and then turns around. Derek watches as Scott practically pounces on him. They talk for a couple of minutes, then Scott pulls back and turns to Derek with a pout on his face. "You have to go."

Derek nods, smiling sadly at Scott. "No worries. I kind of figured he'd kick me out." He walks from the apartment and heads back to the precinct, shoving the Sheriff's door open. "What did you say to Stiles?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"He broke up with me. Said you didn't want him dating me. What did you say to him?" Derek scowls, wanting nothing more than to punch the Sheriff, even though he knows it would cost him his job. 

"I suggested that it would look bad if the defense attorney for Parrish found out that Stiles was already sleeping with another deputy and that the deputy he was sleeping with was the one that got the evidence. I also told him that if they found out, you could lose your job. I only told him so he'd be discreet about being with you."

"He took whatever you said and dumped me because of it." Derek sinks onto the nearest chair. "I am in love with your son. And I know I shouldn't pursue him when he so obviously doesn't want me to, but..."

"If you love him, you should pursue him. But wait until the trial is over before you make it public. If only so Parrish doesn't get cut loose on a technicality."

Derek looks at him. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Look, I know Stiles thinks I'm not on his side, but I am. I want him happy and I think you would make him happy."

Derek nods. "I need to go grocery shopping. I... I'm sorry he still hasn't forgiven you."

"And he likely never will now that he thinks I was trying to keep you two apart."

Derek licks his lips and nods again. "Do you think..."

"I don't know. I don't know that he'd take you back if you quit. He might just get even angrier at both of us if you did that."

Derek sighs and shoves himself to his feet. "Right. I'll see you tomorrow for the trial, Sheriff." He walks out without another word, ignoring Erica and Boyd when they try to talk to him. He keeps going until he reaches the Camaro. After sitting behind the wheel for a few seconds, he heads to the grocery store.

The next day, he dons his dress uniform and heads for the courthouse. He walks over to speak to the District Attorney about his testimony when he sees Stiles standing off to the side, Kira and Allison standing by and fussing with the suit Stiles is wearing. Stiles, in Derek's opinion, looks about as good as any man ever could. He ignores the DA's question and walks over to Stiles. "Hi. I know you don't want to talk to me, but... after today's part of the trial, will you please have coffee with me? I think we need to talk."

Stiles looks at him, expression stony. "We've got nothing to say to each other. Now, if you'll excuse me, the District Attorney looks like she's about to have a heart attack. Ms. Morrell," he murmurs, walking towards her. Derek can't hear what he says to the lawyer, but he turns to Allison and Kira. 

Allison shakes her head. "Der, just back off for a while. I know you really care about him, but right now, he thinks he's about to lose everything. And if Parrish wins this trial? The Sheriff may lose his job and Stiles feels responsible for everything that might happen."

"But he didn't court Parrish's attention. Parrish seduced an under aged boy and then continued to use that boy until he got tired of him. How can any of this be Stiles' fault?"

"We're not saying it is. He thinks it is. Parrish got so deep in his head that Stiles is having a hell of a hard time getting him out. We're all trying to help, but so far it's not really working." Allison licks her lips. "What Stiles needs is someone like you, but he's so scared of getting hurt or of you getting hurt that he won't act on it."

"How do I make him see that I want him? No matter what, even if it costs me my job. I don't give a shit about being a deputy if it means I can't have him."

Allison smiles at him. "Perfect. Wait until after the trial is over. Then Kira, Lydia and I will help you get him."

Derek eyes her and Kira, then nods. "I mean it by the way. I will quit the force if he'd rather not date a deputy."

Kira grins. "Wait until after the trial."

Licking his lips, Derek glances over to Stiles and nods. "For him, anything."

Allison smiles a little wider. "Good. Now, go on. You probably have to talk over your testimony with the DA and Stiles is on his way back over, but he looks really wary of you."

Derek lets out a sigh and turns, walking towards the DA. When he passes Stiles, he simply nods rather than try to talk to the other man.

\-----

Two weeks and a lot of trauma for Stiles (after having to discuss in detail what Parrish did to him in front of his father and Derek) later, Stiles stands with Scott, Kira, Allison and Lydia in the courtroom while the judge walks to the bench and takes his seat. As everyone sits down, Lydia leans over Allison and whispers to Stiles, "I swear to you, if this prick gets off with no punishment, I'm hiring Jackson's dad for you and suing the pants off of him. And you know Jackson's dad. He will win and he will destroy that asshole."

Stiles smiles, the gesture shaky at best. "Thanks, Lyds. You're the best."

"I know." She sits back, but reaches across Allison and covers the hand that's already tucked between Allison's two hands and squeezes gently.

Stiles bites his lip, glancing over at his dad and Derek before looking over to the spot where Parrish is sitting. He looks smug and it's killing Stiles that he might actually get off light. The DA had told Stiles the chances of Parrish actually doing real jail time were slim to none, although it was an almost guarantee he would never be able to serve on the force again. Stiles isn't sure that was enough.

He holds his breath as the judge reads the verdict. When she announces that Parrish has been found guilty and sentencing will be the following day, Stiles slumps down, whimpering happily as he leans against his friends. "It's over?"

"Unless he appeals it," the DA says as he turns around and nods. "For now, it's over. And if there is an appeal, you likely won't have to testify."

Stiles lets out a sigh of relief and leans into Allison. "Can we go?"

"Yes, absolutely." The DA smiles at him. "Go home, get some rest. Relax for a little while at least."

Stiles nods, but stays sitting as the courtroom clears out. Theirs is the last case of the day so he's allowed to just stare about the room. He senses someone sitting next to him, but doesn't look over at the person.

What feels like hours later, but Stiles knows it only a few minutes, the person next to him speaks. "So, we get him locked up. At least for a while."

Stiles feels like part of him should be startled by Derek's voice, but he's not. He'd expected the other man to sit with him after it was done. He knows the girls told Derek to wait to talk to him until the trial was over. "Yeah. Thank god. And thanks to you too," Stiles adds, glancing over at Derek.

"I'm not... I just did what I had to. I knew there was no way you had been stalking Parrish, no matter what he said or anyone else believed." Derek shrugs. "So... I have a question for you. Do you want me to quit the force?"

"Why would I want that?"

"So that you'll agree to date me again."

"What? Derek, I told you...."

"I know what you told me," Derek says after Stiles trails off. "I also know that your dad cannot fire me for dating you. And even if he tries, if I have you? He can have the job. I get the much better situation. I want to be with you Stiles. If you don't want me, that's fine, I'll back off. But if you have any feelings for me at all, I think we need to work this out."

"I don't think I can, Derek." Stiles swallows, his eyes burning.

"Your dad never meant for you to dump me. He only wanted us to be discreet. He was worried the defense attorney would use our relationship to get Parrish freed."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I was pissed and I asked him. I wanted to punch him. I wanted to kick his ass, but I didn't because even if you can't forgive him, you still love your father. Don't think I don't know you've got Allison having Isaac watching his diet."

Stiles blushes a little and sighs. "Derek... Okay, so? I want my dad to still be healthy even if I'm not around." Stiles shivers when he feels Derek's hand on the back of his neck and against his own will, he leans into the touch. He's missed Derek, missed his touch, missed that smile... He's missed everything about Derek. 

Derek leans towards Stiles in return and rests his forehead just above Stiles' ear. "I know you can't forgive your father for not believing you. For believing Parrish over you, but he loves you. He only wanted to make sure that Parrish didn't get free."

Stiles closes his eyes. "I just... I only wanted him to believe me. To trust me. Yeah, I lied a lot when I was in high school. But most of those lies were because of Parrish. I didn't want my dad to know what an idiot I was."

Derek pulls Stiles closer, wrapping his arms around him. "You weren't an idiot. Your head was turned by someone older seducing you." He kisses the side of Stiles' head. 

"Would you really quit the force just to be with me?"

"Without a doubt. You are more important to me than anything else in the world. Which means, if you want to dump me permanently, I'll walk away. It'll hurt, a lot, but I'll do it for you. Don't you get it yet, Stiles?"

Stiles looks at him, tears blurring his vision. "Der..."

"I love you, Stiles. I love you so much. All I want to do is make you happy and be with you. And if I can't make you happy by being with you, then I'll walk."

"Don't." Stiles turns, clinging to Derek. "Don't go away. I want to be with you."

Derek kisses Stiles softly. "Want to be with you too. Now come on. Let's go get you some food and then head home."

"Yours or mine?"

"Aren't they one and the same?" Derek smiles sheepishly when Stiles lifts his head to stare at him.

Stiles smiles slowly and leans in, kissing Derek. "Yeah, I kind of think they are."

Derek nods and gets to his feet, pulling Stiles up next to him. "Come on. I'm hungry."

"Let's eat then."

\-----

Derek grins as he walks into the station a week later. He heads straight for the Sheriff's office, a sheet of paper in hand. "Sheriff, I wanted to thank you for hiring me. For letting me have the last week off."

"This all sounds a lot like goodbye, Derek."

"Not goodbye necessarily, just... I quit." He hands over the sheet of paper and the Sheriff starts reading his resignation. "We both know that while I'm a good deputy, I'm not really cut out for this kind of work. I'm going to be starting a bakery with Stiles and Lydia. She's going to be in charge of the business, Stiles will be working the kitchen and I will be in charge of staffing."

"No offense, because it sounds like a good thing, but Stiles can't afford that. He can't even afford his own place."

"Yeah, he can." Derek smiles a little. "I've asked your son to marry me. He said yes. As far as I'm concerned, what's mine is his and vice versa. So, we're all three going to be equal partners and Stiles and I are each putting in our percentage of the startup costs. Lydia is looking for a place, Stiles is gathering recipes and ingredients and we're going to the town Bazaar to advertise." Derek drops the smile and leans in. "I suggest you come out and support your son in his business endeavor. He wants you back in his life, but he honestly thinks that you don't want him in your life. You took the giving him his space far too seriously. So, show up at the bazaar. Tell me what kind of cupcakes you like the best."

"He makes these cupcakes. I think they're called Car Bombs or something. All the alcohol in the world and they're chocolate. Including Bailey's buttercream frosting. If he could... or would...."

"I'll ask him. Say you mentioned them once or something and I would like to try them." Derek's expression softens and he licks his lips. "John, he loves you. He wants to have you back in his life. But I won't let you hurt him again."

"Ya know, I realized during the trial... The years he was lying to me? Were the years Parrish was hurting him."

Derek nods. "I don't know how you can make it up to him, John. I just know that if you don't try, you will lose him forever."

John smiles sadly. "That just figures. His birthday is coming up, Derek."

"I know. Scott and Kira are over the moon about their planning for a surprise party for him. He already knows about it and doesn't really want it."

"He hates surprise parties. Has since he was little and his mom and I threw him one. There was a clown that scared him." John sighs. "You're engaged to him?"

Derek nods, smiling. "Yeah. Even bought him a ring. We haven't set a date yet. I think he wants to see if you and him can make up first."

"I'm planning on making that happen. I'm just not sure what to do to get him to forgive me."

"We'll work on it together."

\-----

Stiles follows Derek to their stand, grinning brightly. Derek and Lydia won't let him see their actual building, although he had to pick out everything for his kitchen, but all he was told was the size of the kitchen and he had the input on how to set it up, but he still hadn't seen it. However, today was the day of the bazaar and he was ecstatic about being able to sell his cupcakes.

He and Derek find their stand, done in a light blue and green, with pale yellow accents. He grins at Derek. "She made it look like a cupcake, but not girly."

"Lydia is good like that."

"You better believe it, boys," Lydia says as she walks into the tent. "Cupcakes ready?"

"I just need to frost and decorate them. That won't take me long." Stiles gestures to the cooler. "The frosting is in there."

"Get to work. The bazaar is open in thirty minutes." Lydia smiles. "Need anything from me?"

"Nope. I have Derek to help me."

"Good. I am going to go hand out our coupons for free cupcakes and get some hype going for the shop. Derek, he's to be behind the scenes, okay? We don't want to sell 'Hale of a Cupcake' as a reason to gawk at our Stiles."

Derek nods. "I've got out here. I'll take the coupons and any orders we get."

"And I will crank out cupcakes. Der, did you get all the extra cupcakes from the car?"

"I'm gonna have to go get the second batch. You start decorating them, okay?"

Stiles nods and ducks into the back of the tent, setting up his decorating stations. He starts in on the Irish Car Bomb cupcakes, sighing sadly as he fills them with the whiskey ganache before frosting them with the Bailey's buttercream frosting. He sets a few aside, knowing Lydia will probably get mad at him for not letting them go, but he is definitely saving those for his dad. Maybe a peace offering will get them back to where they were. Or at least get them talking again. 

He looks up when he hears a noise in the front of the tent. "Der, babe? Did you grab the rest of the cupcakes?"

"Actually, Derek asked me to bring you these. He had something to go get? I didn't ask what." John steps through the curtain and smiles gently. "Hi Stiles."

"Dad? What are you doing here?"

"I heard about you and Derek and Lydia opening the bakery. I'm proud of you son. You're finally doing what you want."

Stiles nods. "I'm pretty excited to see how well my cupcakes go over. We're not pushing the me being the baker angle, which is why the shop's name will be 'Hale of a Cupcake'."

"That's too bad in a way. You should be able to get credit for your hard work, though I understand you don't want people to come gawk at you just because of what happened."

Stiles nods again, watching his dad. "Dad, I..."

"Stiles, I'm so sorry. I love you and I realize now exactly what you were lying about. If I could take back anything in my life, it would be not believing you."

Stiles ducks his head, eyes filling a little. "I just..."

"I don't expect you to forgive me right away, Lechosław. I just want us to start communicating again. I realize I possibly let it go too long, but I didn't know how to approach you." There's a pause and Stiles looks up, licking his lips. "Lechosław, I love you and I'm sorry. And I know tomorrow is your birthday so I just brought you your birthday present." He sets a gift bag down. "Now, I am going to get out of your way and let you do your thing."

"Dad." Stiles reaches out, touching John's arm. "I love you. Eventually we'll be back to normal." He turns and grabs the plate he'd put the cupcakes aside on. "Here. For you. Especially now that I know Derek talked me into making them because I'm fairly sure he's trying to get us to be a family again."

John chuckles and takes the cupcakes. "Thank you. And thank Derek for me." He turns to walk back, only to turn back again. "And congratulations son. Derek told me about your engagement. I'm very happy for you. Derek is a good man but if he doesn't treat you right, I will shoot him."

Stiles laughs and nods. "Love you, Dad."

"Love you, Lechosław." John walks off with a wave.

Derek ducks back in and Stiles takes a moment to be thrilled with how things are working out. He and his dad have a ways to go, but Stiles knows that eventually, they will be back to the way they were before the whole thing with Parrish. He's currently engaged to the hottest man he's ever met, who also happens to be smart, funny and sweet. He, his fiancé, and his best friend in the world after Scott are starting a business together and he knows they're going to knock it out of the park. Parrish is behind bars, where he's meant to be and his friends are all happy, healthy and in steady, sturdy relationships. His life is going great and it can only get better from here.

_the end_


End file.
